Sikkim: Man arrested over wife's death in Singtam, murder charges filed

A 36-year-old woman, Amrita Kami, was found dead under suspicious circumstances in the Tinek area of Singtam on December 11, 2024, prompting a police investigation that led to the arrest of her husband, Ratan Bahadur Kami.  

The case unfolded when Bikash Baraily, a relative of the victim, filed an FIR after discovering Amrita’s lifeless body at her residence. According to the FIR, Baraily was informed around 7:00 AM about Amrita’s death. Upon reaching the scene, he found her lying on her bed in a supine position with visible bluish marks around her eyes, chin, and back, raising suspicions of foul play.  

Preliminary inquiries revealed that Amrita had allegedly fallen near the cowshed outside her room the previous day. However, further investigation unearthed a history of domestic abuse, with accounts of frequent physical and mental harassment by her husband. It was also noted that Amrita struggled with alcoholism, compounding her troubled life.  

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An autopsy conducted on December 12 by Dr. Uma Adhikari at the District Hospital in Singtam confirmed the cause of death as asphyxia due to neck vessel occlusion, combined with shock and hemorrhage caused by blunt force trauma. The report documented 19 distinct injuries on her body, substantiating suspicions of foul play.  

As a result, the case was reclassified from an Unnatural Death (U.D.) to a murder investigation. The Singtam Police formally charged Ratan Bahadur Kami under Section 103(1) of the BNS. The 38-year-old resident of Upper Tinek, Gangtok, was taken into custody on December 13.  

Police continue to investigate the case, focusing on the couple’s strained relationship and the pattern of abuse that preceded the tragedy.